The NFL first utilized overtime in 1958, when the Colts beat the Giants in the game that history points to as the moment pro football became a major American sport. More than a quarter-century later, the NFL adopted sudden-death overtime for the regular season, dramatically expanding its use.
Now, 36 years after that, the NFL has deactivated the land mine that could have marred a Super Bowl, nearly two months to the day after it undermined the NFC title game by sending the Saints to the championship game after a field goal to cap the first drive of overtime.
For those of you who haven’t been following the events that culminated in today’s vote, here’s a list of questions and answers that should tell you everything you need to know, and then some.
And, yes, we agree with the move. It’s not perfect, and it’s not the rule we would have adopted. But it’s better.
Q: Why did the league make the change?
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell constantly talks about the importance of striving for ways to improve the game. And the league did just that with a rule that prevents a team from winning a postseason game by receiving the kickoff to start overtime, driving 30 yards or so, and sending the ball through the goal posts for a three-point victory.
“It wasn’t producing the ‘fairest result,’ if you will, based on the effect of field goal accuracy, field goal distance and the drives chart,” Competition Committee co-chair Rich McKay said during a Tuesday press conference.
The perception of unfairness came from the increase in the amount of first-drive field goals since 1994, when the kickoff point was moved from the 35 to the 30. Though in the past the league considered simply moving the kickoff from the 30 back to the 35, the Competition Committee focused on what came to be known as “modified sudden death.”
Q. What is the new rule?
It’s simple. The team that receives the kickoff to start overtime in a playoff game can no longer win by kicking a field goal on the first drive. If the team that receives the kickoff to start overtime scores a field goal, the team that kicked off gets a possession, and can match with a field goal (converting the game to sudden death), beat the field goal with a touchdown (and win), or fail to score at all (and lose).
That sums it all up. But we realize that some of you will prefer to have the various permutations crammed into your mouths via a spoon.
So here we go. We hope you don’t mind a spork.
Q. What happens if the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a field goal?
The game continues, and the team that kicked off gets a chance to match or beat the three points the other team scored.
Q. What happens if the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown?
Game over. The team that received the ball to start overtime wins.
Q. Isn’t that unfair, too?
Yes and no. Though we’d prefer that both teams be guaranteed a possession regardless of whether the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown or a field goal, the rule that the NFL adopted allows the team that kicked off to defend the end zone instead of the goal posts.
Q. What happens if the team that receives the opening kickoff punts?
The game essentially converts to sudden death. The next team to score wins the game.
Q. What happens if the team that receives the opening kickoff turns the ball over?
The game essentially converts to sudden death. The next team to score wins the game.
Also, if the turnover is returned for a touchdown on the same play, the game ends at that moment.
Most importantly, if the defense fumbles the ball after forcing the turnover and the team that received the opening kickoff recovers, the game ends on the first score, even if it’s a field goal.
Q. What if the teams that receives the opening kickoff is tackled in the end zone?
The other team scores two points, and the game ends.
Q. What happens if the team that kicks off to start overtime recovers an onside kick?
The game converts to sudden death.
Q. What happens if the team that received the kickoff scores a field goal and recovers an onside kick?
The game ends; the team that scored the field goal wins.
Q. What happens if the team that received the kickoff scores a field goal and stops the other team from scoring?
Game ends. The ream that scored the field goal on the opening drive wins.
Q. What happens if, after the team that receives the kickoff scores a field goal, the other team scores a field goal?
The game converts to sudden death, and the team that received the kickoff to start overtime gets the next kickoff. The next score wins.
Q. What happens if, after the team that receives the kickoff scores a field goal, the other team scores a touchdown?
Game ends. The team that scored the touchdown wins.
So that’s it. Everything you could want to know about the new overtime rules. (Actually, there’s one more scenario we haven’t presented here, involving the possibility of a nine-point final margin of victory. We’re tracking down the answer and we’ll follow up soon.)